In addition to playing as a striker, Joao de Assis Moreira, known as Joao Mendes resigned from the Brazilian side Cruzeiro recently, which paved the way to Barcelona.
RAC1 quotes Ronaldinho saying “I can confirm Barcelona will sign João, Barça has always been part of my life and my heart and it will continue with my son. He is coming now.”
“Barcelona is part of life. Wherever I go I take Barcelona with me. With the arrival of my son at Barca I’ll be more present than ever,” he added.
🚨 Ronaldinho has announced that his 17-year old son Joao Mendes will sign for Barcelona. 🇧🇷
(Source: @lequipe) pic.twitter.com/TKTLS4Uh0M
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) February 7, 2023
It is expected that Ronaldinho, who is an ambassador at Barcelona, will become more involved in the club’s affairs. There are very few academies as renowned as Barcelona’s in the world of soccer.
João Mendes played for Barcelona just like his father Ronaldinho
João Mendes was born to Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho and dancer Janaina Mendes in Rio de Janeiro on 25 February 2005. Mendes first became interested in football when he asked his mother to enroll him in a football school at the age of four. Having joined Flamengo’s academy at the age of ten, he then played indoor football for Vasco da Gama, followed by a short stint with Boavista-RJ.
As a 15-year-old, he made his professional debut with Fluminense in the Campeonato Carioca. In 2012, he was part of the squad that won the Campeonato Carioca.
Having signed for Sporting CP in 2013, he made his debut in the Primeira Liga in 2014 and went on to make more than 100 appearances for the club. Sporting awarded him the Taça de Portugal in 2015 and the Taça da Liga in 2016.
Since signing with Major League Soccer side New York City FC in 2017, he has become a regular in the team. In 2019, he was also part of the team that won the MLS Supporters’ Shield.
It was in 2019 that he signed his first professional contract with Cruzeiro, a six-year deal. During his youth tournament in China, he scored two goals for Cruzeiro shortly after signing professional terms.
As of February 2022, Joao Mendes left Cruzeiro after almost four seasons with the club. Joao is currently undergoing trials for Barcelona’s youth team. Joan Laporta, club president, is handling his move to join the La Masia academy. The trials began in January but his move, on the other hand, appears to have been discussed since 2020. Joao Mendes may join the ranks of some legendary father-son duos.